Stephanos Constantinou: Quotes about social obligationhttp://philpapers.org/bbs/thread.pl?tId=853#p7856
Good morning all<br><br>I am writing a piece about social work values
and how these are a challenge in certain circumstances within mental
health treatment. Some unwell people who are a danger to others while
unwell are persuaded/coerced into taking medication that although
relieves the mental health problem and so reduce the risk to the
public, also leaves the patient with side effects which are
debilitating. Many patients endure this as the only alternative is to
return to hospital detention.<br><br>I am attempting to suggest that in
certain circumstances this oppressive intrusion into liberty has some
justification. However, I cannot recall which philosopher (Aristotle or
Plato?) has said something about an individuals responsibility to
society.<br><br>I am using a moral argument that no one is responsible
for the individuals predicament and that society is not responsible for
the conflict of circumstances.<br><br>I have only the vaguest recollection that some old Greek fellow has said something on this subject.<br><br>Any input welcome<br><br>StephanosStephanos Constantinou2013-08-08http://philpapers.org/post/7856Ancient Greek and Roman PhilosophyMark Silcox: Platonic Numerologyhttp://philpapers.org/bbs/thread.pl?tId=683#p6067
Does anybody know where I could find a good scholarly discussion of the weird &#39;numerological&#39; passages about cultural decline in Republic VIII (ca. 545e-547a). I&#39;m interested both in where Plato might have gotten these ideas about the &#39;predictable unpredictability&#39; of genetic heritability of traits and what light the passages might throw upon his remarks about the &#39;noble lie.&#39;Mark Silcox2011-07-18http://philpapers.org/post/6067Ancient Greek and Roman PhilosophyLawrence &quot;Larkin&quot; Philpot: Ancient Philosophy Categorieshttp://philpapers.org/bbs/thread.pl?tId=637#p5303
Before suggesting any category additions/changes <a href="http://philpapers.org/post/282">here</a>, I thought it might be useful to have some discussion among those with interests in ancient philosophy.<br><br>I think that, in general, for the categories to be useful, the Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy categories need to be more fine-grained. <br><br>(1) Specifically, I think that at least Plato and Aristotle and probably Stoics, Epicureans, and some others as well need subject sub-categories such as Ethics, Metaphysics, Epistemology, etc. These subject categories could further be cross-listed under other major categories. For example, a Political Philosophy sub-category under Aristotle could be cross-listed under Social and Political Philosophy as History of Political Philosophy/ Ancient Greek Political Philosophy/ Aristotle. (For some it might also even be useful to have categories for specific works, such as the <em>Republic.</em>)<br><br>(2) It also might be useful to add general subject categories under Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy for articles that treat topics across individuals, schools, or time-periods, as the existing Misc. categories seem inadequate, and it doesn&#39;t seem quite right to relegate these sorts of articles to a Misc. bin.<br><br>(3) It also might be worthwhile to develop the categories for Roman and later philosophers more fully. It might be useful to have a category for Lucretius or Seneca, for example, apart from the Hellenistic school categories.<br><br>(4) Given the close connection of ancient philosophy to other areas of classical studies and classical studies in general, it might also be useful to develop the Other Academic Areas/ Arts and Humanities/ Classics category more fully and to integrate this category more fully with the Ancient Philosophy category.<br><br><br><br>Lawrence &quot;Larkin&quot; Philpot2011-02-02http://philpapers.org/post/5303Ancient Greek and Roman PhilosophyFilip Ivanovic: CFP: Neoplatonism and Dionysius the Areopagite (deadline 23rd February)http://philpapers.org/bbs/thread.pl?tId=485#p3062
The 8th Conference of the International Society for Neoplatonic
Studies will<br>be held in Madrid on June 17-20 2010.<br>Along
with the Conference there will be a Panel discussion
entitled Dionysius the Areopagite between
Orthodoxy and Heresy:<br><p>One of the most
controversial characters in the history of philosophy and theology is
beyond all doubt (Pseudo-) Dionysius the Areopagite. The only
conclusion on which the modern scholarship agreed is that he was not
the famous bishop of Athens, a pagan converted to Christianity by St.
Paul.<br></p>
<p>The
influence of Dionysian writings in the entire Middle Ages is
astonishing, and he was considered as the highest authority, second
only to Bible, since he was considered a contemporary of Apostles. Some
of the main features of his doctrine, such as apophatic theology,
deification, and hierarchies, greatly determined the ways of future
Christian
speculation. <br></p>
<p>His
knowledge of the Christian
tradition is proven by his good command of
the notions of not only the theoretical foundations of Christianity,
but also of the liturgical life and practical experience of the Church.
On the other hand, the strong Neoplatonic character of his writings
cannot be disregarded. Who was really Dionysius? Was he a Christian
simply initiated into Neoplatonic doctrines, or was he a Neoplatonist
whose intention was to cunningly introduce pagan elements into the
Christian thought?<br></p>
The
aim of this panel is to reconsider the identity of Dionysius and his
role in the formation of early
Christianity. The main question would be
whether he was a pagan philosopher or a Christian theologian. This
question remains unresolved until today, and the panel would serve to
allow participants to engage in an interaction of different opinions,
which would hopefully shed some more light on the dark background of
“divine Dionysius”.<br>Abstract for this session should be sent
to Filip Ivanovic at filiwycat@yahoo.com, by 23rd February 2010.<br>For more
information:<br>Website of the Conference is <a target="_blank" href="http://www.uam.es/otros/isns2010/Bienvenida.html">http://www.uam.es/otros/isns2010/Bienvenida.html</a><br>The
information about panel discussion on Dionysius as well as other<br>sessions
can be found at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.uam.es/otros/isns2010/Panels.html">http://www.uam.es/otros/isns2010/Panels.html</a><br>The
Call for Papers is found here <a target="_blank" href="http://www.uam.es/otros/isns2010/Papers.html">http://www.uam.es/otros/isns2010/Papers.html</a><br>Filip Ivanovic2010-02-22http://philpapers.org/post/3062Ancient Greek and Roman PhilosophyMonte Johnson: 3rd annual WEST COAST PLATO WORKSHOPhttp://philpapers.org/bbs/thread.pl?tId=376#p1904
THE&nbsp;WEST&nbsp;COAST&nbsp;PLATO WORKSHOP&nbsp;&nbsp;/ Third Annual Conference<br><br>Topic: Plato&#39;s <em>Phaedrus</em><br>Date: 22-23 May 2010<br>Place: Philosophy department, University of California, San Diego<br><br>Keynote speaker: Rachana Kamtekar,&nbsp;Department of Philosophy, University of Arizona<br><br>The conference organizer invites proposals for 30 minute talks (to be&nbsp;followed by 45 minutes of commentary or discussion) on any topic&nbsp;related to Plato&#39;s <em>Phaedrus</em>. Please send proposals (abstracts) to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%36%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%34%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%34%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%36%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%34%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%36%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%36%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%34%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%37%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%34%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%36%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%34%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%30%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%37%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%36%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%37%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%36%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%34%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%34%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%36%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%36%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%34%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%32%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%37%25%32%35%25%33%32%25%33%35%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%33%25%32%35%25%33%33%25%33%35">monte@ucsd.edu</a>&nbsp;by 15 December 2009. Also, please forward this announcement to anyone who&nbsp;might be working on the Phaedrus or interested in attending (apologies for cross-posting).<br><br>The first conference, on Plato&#39;s <em>Theaetetus</em>, was held in 2008 at the&nbsp;University of California, Davis; the second, on the <em>Euthydemus</em>, in&nbsp;2009 at the University of California, Berkeley. The conferences are&nbsp;open to all students and faculty, and are organized on an ad hoc basis&nbsp;by the host university.<br><br>Feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions. Join us on facebook by befriending: &quot;WestCoast Plato-workshop&quot;.<br>Thank you and I look forward to seeing you in La Jolla,<br><br>Monte<br><br>Monte Ransome Johnson
<br>Department of Philosophy, UCSD<br>
<br>
<br><br>
<br>Monte Johnson2009-10-29http://philpapers.org/post/1904Ancient Greek and Roman PhilosophyMohan Matthen: Socrates and spatial conceptshttp://philpapers.org/bbs/thread.pl?tId=188#p561
My scholarly colleagues will enjoy by this witty passage from Oxford psychologist Susanna Millar&#39;s recent book, <em>Space and Sense</em>.<br><br>&quot;The idea that spatial concepts are known before birth was taught by the Athenian philosopher Socrates some two and a half thousand years ago.&nbsp; It is nicely paradoxical that we really ought to credit that arch &#39;rationalist&#39; philosopher with the first empirical study of spatial reasoning.&nbsp; Unfortunately, an Athenian court condemned Socrates to poison himself with hemlock for teaching philosophy to the young.&nbsp; So we can only go by the writings, as construed by later scholars, of his friend and student Plato (c. 429-347 BC). According to Plato, Socrates&#39; questions elicited perfectly correct geometric deductions from an untaught, ignorant slave boy.&nbsp; As any editor of a self-respecting scientific journal would, no doubt, have pointed out, the finding is flawed as empirical evidence for an innate concept of space.&nbsp; Socrates would have to alter his method, and use better controls for leading questions and graphic demonstrations drawn in the sand, if he wanted it published.&nbsp; Socrates actually anticipated the objection and refuted it, at least to Plato&#39;s satisfaction.&nbsp; The view that concepts of space are innate has been with us, in some form, ever since.&quot;<br><br>I was tickled by Millar&#39;s snarky asides about scientific method.&nbsp; After all, Socrates does let Meno pick the youth, and he admonishes him thus: &quot;Do you observe, Meno, that I am not teaching the boy anything, but merely asking him each time?&quot;<br>Mohan Matthen2009-03-31http://philpapers.org/post/561Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy